Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

Working Paper Series,
Royal Institute of Technology, Department of Real Estate and Construction Management & Banking and Finance

No 22/6: Valuating the negative externality of wind turbines: traditional hedonic and difference-in-difference approaches

Hans Westlund () and Mats Wilhelmsson ()
Additional contact information
Hans Westlund: Royal Institute of Technology, Postal: Department of Urban Planning and Environment , Royal Institute of Technology, Teknikringen 10B, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden
Mats Wilhelmsson: Department of Real Estate and Construction Management, Royal Institute of Technology, Postal: Teknikringen 10B, 100 44 Stockholm, Sweden

Abstract: Local negative externalities of an establishment of wind turbines have been documented in research; often with the help of the hedonic methodology and property values. We use mixed methods including hedonic methodology, propensity score matching, and the difference-in-difference approach to estimate causal effects, using almost 600,000 real estate transactions in Sweden from 2005 to 2018. The results indicate that we can reject the hypothesis that proximity to wind turbines does not impact property values, and this impact is relatively strong and varies over time and geographic region. Difference-in-difference with matching confirms estimates in the hedonic price equation studies. Furthermore, there is no indication of pre-event differences in house price outcomes based on distance from new wind turbines. Depending on the region, the total negative capitalisation amounts to between 10 and 25 percent within 0–2 kilometres from the wind power plant. We apply these estimates to the total housing stock in three different potential future development areas. Although effects per property are relatively marginal, the total effects of a wind farm establishment will be significant if they are located in densely populated areas.

Keywords: wind turbine; capitalisation effect; regional; difference-in-difference; matching; property values

JEL-codes: C21; Q51; R30

Language: English

31 pages, June 21, 2022

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